


Recreational Networking

by Legs (InsanityRule)



Category: Silicon Valley (TV), The Internship (2013)
Genre: M/M, Same actor crossover, crossover AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-03
Packaged: 2018-04-29 19:25:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5139692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsanityRule/pseuds/Legs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin does not find the recruitment conference all that entertaining, but he manages to find someone at the conference to help pass the time.</p><p>“Lyle, you’re a smart young man.” Lyle nods and smiles, looking pleased that someone complemented his ability. Gavin can tell he doesn’t get a lot of praise. It’s a useful tidbit of information. “Now, handing a room key to someone is horribly cliché and frankly, overdone, and obviously a security risk I would never take, but I will tell you my room number, and you can use that information however you see fit.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recreational Networking

He’s been to _far_ too many recruitment conferences to truly enjoy them anymore, but Gavin can get a certain amount of enjoyment appreciating the wide-eyed looks from up and comers as they wander around the booths of the main auditorium. Gavin usually loiters around the Hooli booth, basking in the awe-struck students desperate for an internship at his company. A steady stream of potentials have dropped off their resumes and talked with his VPs about their interests and accomplishments, and it’s all so similar and boring. Gavin couldn’t be less interested in standing here if he tried.

Gavin only goes to these because he gives a speech every year. If he had his way he wouldn’t even go to the Hooli booth at all, but Patrice and the others insist he use his charm to help sway students to them, as if Hooli wasn’t always swarming with resumes on a given day.

His company is one of the leading innovators, the name _alone_ gets them at least a few hundred resumes. The fact that he’s there _maybe_ doubles their numbers, which practically triples the amount of rejected potentials. If HR wants more work that’s their call, but he doesn’t see why _his_ weekend has to be torn to shreds.

Thankfully, the hotel found it important to set up a break area for the representatives in one of the smaller conference rooms, and while Gavin would _prefer_ to have a room to himself, the only other person currently in the room is a young man clearly freaking out and trying to keep it to himself.

Well, he was bored.

If the room wasn’t locked Gavin would swear this young man is a student. He’s looking through a fairly large stack of resumes and making notations with a pen, but his hand is shaking and his handwriting is completely illegible.

“You do know HR will go through those.”

He jumps and knocks over a bottle of water. “Shit! Oh man,” he scrambles to protect the resumes from the water, but a couple of the papers are already soaked, “crap. I have to give these back.”

“I don’t think you really understand why we’re all here,” he scans the young man’s shirt and makes note of the name Lyle in neat block letters on a ‘Hello my name is…’ sticker, “Lyle. This is a recruitment conference. Your job for,” he gestures, hoping Lyle will fill in the blank, but he apparently had too high hopes for Lyle right now. “We collect resumes, listen to those students grovel at our feet, and have some mediocre catering for lunch and a fancy meal for the representatives once we’re done.”

“No see,” Lyle pulls off his glasses and wipes them on his shirt, “I’m running a resume discussion after lunch and I thought, 'hey what if I offered to do corrections?’ but I got so _many_ resumes and I’ll never get them all done.”

Gavin’s seen this behavior many times at Hooli. A young employee tries to impress his boss(es) and overreaches, and burns out before he can follow through. It’s tragic, but not horribly uncommon. Some people just don’t have what it takes.

“So disappoint them. They’re students; they’ve been let down before.”

Lyle shakes his head. “Can’t, my boss, he knows about the discussion, thought it was a great idea and if I don’t follow through I’m in deep shit.”

This is where Gavin would normally walk away and let this kid solve his own problems. But this is the most interesting thing to happen to Gavin all day.

And as frazzled as Lyle looks he still has pretty eyes. If Gavin has to be here all weekend he’s going to choose the company he keeps.

“Lyle,” Gavin would prefer to keep this young man from having a complete mental breakdown over this little project he made for himself, “I might have a solution for you.”

Gavin is not about to offer his services to read through these resumes; he barely remembers how a resume is supposed to look anymore, but he does have a team of fairly competent VPs in his employ who are willing and able to do anything Gavin asks.

-

He has no interest in drinking any alcohol at the hotel bar, but Lyle insisted on thanking him properly. “Seriously that was so cool. And the discussion went so well.”

Gavin nods and sips at his drink. “You don’t get to status like mine without gaining a few underlings that will do anything you ask.”

“Man, I don’t think I’ll ever have that kind of power. I’m already twenty three!” Lyle’s on his third beer and he is not well versed in alcohol. “I mean, you were already super famous at my age.”

“So you _do_ know who I am.” Gavin never actually introduced himself; he was content to gain Lyle’s admiration at his anonymous benevolence.

“Well, course,” Lyle sets down his empty glass; he’s buzzed and grinning and, if Gavin entertains these thoughts while in public, a rather attractive young man, “you’re Gavin Belson. Ha, I shouldn’t be talking with you probably. I know why but it’s like, we’re collaborating, helping young minds prepare. It’s really cool.”

Gavin knows as well. He took it upon himself to learn a bit about Lyle during his free time. Lyle Spaulding. Twenty-three. He works at Google, one of Hooli’s biggest competitors. There isn’t any _real_ danger of Lyle losing his job over his interactions with Gavin, but he’s young and still rather impressionable, and the least likely to talk if anything happens.

“Lyle, you seem like you’re enjoying yourself.”

“Oh yeah, tons bro.” It feels like he’s trying to be like Aly and Jason, but he’s failing horribly. His smile is too genuine, eyes too bright and happy. It’s rather endearing. “And there’s no dudes trying to beat me up for wanting to hang out with one of the strippers.”

He’s not really sure what Lyle is talking about but Gavin pushes past it, he’s about to either make a minor fool of himself or convince a young man to entertain him for the evening. “Lyle, you’re a smart young man.” Lyle nods and smiles, looking pleased that someone complemented his ability. Gavin can tell he doesn’t get a lot of praise. It’s a useful tidbit of information. “Now, handing a room key to someone is horribly cliché and frankly, overdone, and obviously a security risk I would never take, but I will tell you my room number, and you can use that information however you see fit.”

-

Gavin wasn’t _worried_ about Lyle not showing up, he has more important matters to consider on a daily basis and losing out on one sexual opportunity is not a big deal for him. He’s about five minutes away from pulling the chain across the door to his suite and enjoying a long soak before bed when there’s a rapid, nervous series of knocks on the door.

He opens the door and finds Lyle nervously fidgeting in the hallway. Before he can go into an inevitable nervous tirade Gavin guides him into the room and locks the door.

-

He’s made a conscious effort to never sleep in when he’s at a conference; there are a number of networking opportunities (And some time for meditation.) Gavin likes to take advantage of in the early morning when the entire younger crowd is likely to still be in bed. And as he finishes combing his hair into place and leaves the hotel bathroom he’s vaguely surprised to find Lyle sitting up and attempting to look coherent. Obviously there needs to be an exception that proves the rule, Lyle must be one of those rare early morning people, something Gavin has found to be painfully uncommon of people under the age of thirty.

“You’re actually awake,” Lyle turns red _immediately_ , and not just his face. His _neck_ is even red from the blushing. “This isn’t something you’re accustomed to yet.”

Lyle shakes his head. Jesus he’s not even _verbal_ about last night. Gavin considers it a small blessing though, because if Lyle can’t even talk to _him_ about having sex at a tech conference then it’s doubtful he’ll be able to say anything to his peers.

“Use the shower; take a bath for all I care. Go get some of that crappy continental breakfast and enjoy day two. This offer,” he gestures to the bed, and Lyle manages to blush _more_ , something Gavin didn’t realize was possible, “is still available to you if you want.”

-

Lyle pointedly avoids Gavin for the rest of the conference. He’s only a little bitter about it; he did have a very nice evening on day one, and honestly, the sheer effort Lyle puts into not making eye contact with Gavin is rather entertaining on its own. Gavin never thought he would see a person actually _dive behind a plant_ to avoid him, but the sheer unsubtle way Lyle is trying to be subtle is somewhat hilarious.

The conference ends, life continues on, and Gavin has more important matters to attend to, namely, a gigantic influx of interns he needs to inspire. He’s been working on his speech, something he has a natural talent for but he’s always trying to shock his crowd with his presentations, when Patrice comes in with a message.

“Mr. Belson, there’s a ‘Lionel’ downstairs at the visitor’s station.”

He sends him away.

But about twenty minutes later Patrice is back with another note. “Sir, he says it’s urgent. I can have him escorted off the premises?”

“Hold on,” Gavin walks down to security and checks their cameras, and is somewhat surprised to see ‘Lionel’ is Lyle, and he has to stop himself from actually groaning at Lyle’s attempt to be sneaky. “Patrice, send him up.”

If he thought Lyle looked nervous the morning after their encounter, he clearly underestimated the amount of worry this young man can exude. His eyes are very wide and his pupils are dilated. Gavin is going to have to meditate after this little meeting they’re having.

“Lyle, or is it Lionel now?”

“Ha, well I thought I should use a code name. But I guess the association was a little too subtle. Maybe I should use island since that’s what Lyle means? Would you remember that? In college I tried learning Morse code with flashlights and that was pretty successful.”

There isn’t really anything Gavin can say to that statement that won’t imply Lyle’s being an idiot. He goes for it anyway. “Why the _fuck_ would I learn Morse code? And why are you here anyway?”

“Well um, I got nervous about,” he looks around, is he checking for cameras? He whispers, “us.”

“Uh huh. Just what ‘us’ are you referring to exactly?”

“Well just, I don’t want to get fired, and if people know I’m talking with you they’ll think I’m sharing secrets, and I’m pretty sure no one will hire me if I’m fired for that.”

“You do realize we’re only talking because you came to my campus.” Lyle shrinks down in his chair. “Lyle, I’m not an idiot, and unless I’m mistaken, neither are you. You’re here for a reason so spit it out.”

“Well um, I just figured we could talk about maybe a uh, repeat of events?” This is relatively unexpected, but it _has_ been awhile since Gavin had a ‘casual recreational partner’ and Lyle certainly did enjoy himself that night. “But no one can find out, and people are definitely going to start asking if I’m around here all the time. Oh crap, what if they’re already figuring it out now?”

“Lyle,” he nods rapidly. This kid needs to fucking _chill_ , “are you familiar with an NDA?”


End file.
